Dispenser for tape



June 23, 1964 BLODEE DISPENSER FOR TAPE Fil-ed Dec. 5, 1961 4 Milli! m HI 4 M INVENTOR. ZE/F 510055 United States Patent 3,138,310 DISPENSER FORTAPE Leif Blodee, 291 W. 12th St., Holland, Mich. Filed Dec. 5, 1961,Ser. No. 157,097 2 Qlaims. (Cl. 22565) This invention relates to tapedispensers, and more particularly to a cutting device adapted to beattached to a hollow roll of tape.

There are presently on the market a large variety of tape dispensersinto which a roll of tape can be inserted, and from which neatly cuttape pieces of any desired length can be readily obtained. In manyinstances, however, it is either impractical or uneconomical to use atape dispenser into which a roll of tape can be inserted, particularlyif the roll involved is of considerable size and consequently requires arather bulky and heavy dispenser. It has therefore become desirable toprovide a simple tape cutter which can be attached directly to a roll oftape. Inasmuch as such devices, however, are most useful undercircumstances in which the weight, awkwardness, and expense of a regulartape dispenser was a problem, it was necessary to provide a floatingcutter (i.e. a cutter readily movable along the perimeter of the taperoll) which was a very simple construction and light weight so as toallow easy, safe handling and adjustment and be expendable.

This in turn required that the cutting mechanism be constructed of avery few simple, inexpensive parts which did not require any machiningor other complicated manufacturing processes. In order to obtainaccurate action of the cutter, it was also necessary to provide thecutter with means permitting its continuous and easy adjustment to keepit taut against the surface of the tape as the tape was used up.

The present invention solves these problems by providing a simplemechanism consisting of a backing member adapted to ride along the innerperimeter of the tape roll, a cutting member riding on the outerperimeter of the tape roll, and a generally U-shaped flexible metalstrip connecting the cutting member to the backing member. The backingmember is hollowed out to form a receptacle having a pair of cylindricalchambers into which the ends of the U-shaped metal strip can be pushed.As the tape on the roll is used up, the metal strips are pushed fartherand farther into the backing member, where they are bent and rolled upby the walls of the cylindrical chambers. A pair of resilient andsharply pointed wedging fingers are provided inside the backing memberto prevent the strips from being withdrawn.

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a simple,expendable, and safe tape cutter which can be floatingly mounted on ahollow roll of tape and can be progressively adjusted to compensate forthe variation in thickness of the roll of tape as the tape is used up.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device as describedabove which can be simply progressively adjusted merely by squeezing thecutter and backing memer against the tape roll.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device as describedabove in which the cutter and backing member are connected by flexiblemetal strips whose ends are automatically rolled up within the backingmember as the device is adjusted.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a device asdescribed above which cannot be loosened once it has been tightened.

These and other objects of this invention will be apparent from thefollowing specification taken in connection with the attached drawingsin which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the device of this inventionattached to a roll of tape; and

i on a hollow roll of tape, comprising: a strip receptacle 7 icePatented June 23, 1964 FIG. 2 is a partial end view, partially insection, of the device of FIG. 1. 7

Basically, the device of the invention is clamped onto a roll of tape bya U-shaped metal strip extending between the cutter on the outside ofthe tape roll and a backing member or receptacle on the inside of thetape roll. The receptacle has a pair of cylindrical chambers in whichthe ends of the metal strip are automatically coiled and stored as theends are progressively inserted into the chambers when the cutter andbacking member are periodically squeezed together as the thickness ofthe tape on the roll diminishes.

As will be best seen in FIG. 2, the device 10 consists of a backingmember or receptacle 12 containing a pair A of cylindrical chambers 14.A cutter 16 is held against the tape 22 by the central portion 24 of aunidirectionally flexible metal strip 26. Side pieces 18, 20 areprovided to secure the strip 26 to the cutter 16. The ends 28 of themetal strip 26 are tangentially inserted in the chambers 14 throughslots 30. Due to the cylindrical shape of chambers 14, the ends 28 tendto coil up in chambers 14 as they are pushed further into slot 30. Aspring 32 is embedded in the backing member 12 in such a manner as notto interfere with the coiling of ends 28 or their insertion into thechambers 14, but to form a wedge preventing withdrawal of the strip ends28 from the chambers 14.

In operation, the backing member 12 is applied to the inside of the taperoll. The cutter 16 with the ends 28 of strip 26 extending therefrom isthen placed on the outside of the tape roll, and the ends 28 areinserted into the slot 30. The backing member 12 and cutter 16 are thensimply squeezed together as far as the tape 22 will permit them to go.As they are squeezed together, the ends 28 penetrate into the chambers14 and are coiled up therein. The entire device may now be floatinglymoved along the tape roll as the tape is debited there from. As thethickness of the tape 22 diminishes as the tape is used up, the slack ofthe strip 26 can be taken up simply by again squeezing the backingmember and the cutter together until they again become seated firmlyagainst the inner and outer perimeters of the tape roll 22. The wedgeaction of spring 32 effectively prevents separation of the cutter andbacking member and thereby precludes the device from becomingmisadjusted or coming apart.

It will be seen that I have provided a simple but effective cuttermechanism for hollow tape rolls in which the ends of the adjusting strip26 are safely stored away in the backing member to prevent injury to theoperator, or interference with the handling of the tape roll, in the useof the device. Obviously, many modifications of this invention arepossible within the spirit of the invention itself, and the invention istherefore not to be deemed limited by the embodiment shown, but only bythe scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An expendable floating tape cutting device for use on a hollow rollof tape, comprising: a strip receptacle dimensioned to be positionedagainst the inner perimeter of said roll; a cutter adapted to bepositioned against the outer perimeter of said roll; and a strip ofunidirectionally flexible material adapted to hold said cutter againstsaid tape, said strip having an end portion adapted to be inserted intosaid receptacle; said receptacle having a cylindrical chamber forreceiving said strip end and guiding it into roll form as it is insertedtherein, and resilient means allowing said strip end to be pushed intosaid chamher to keep said cutter tight against said tape roll as saidtape is used up but preventing its withdrawal therefrom.

2. An expendable floating tape cutting device for use 8,138,310 3 i 4-dimensioned to be positioned against the inner perimeter said strip endsto be pushed into said chambers to keep of said roll; a cutter adaptedto be positioned against the said cutter tight against said tape roll assaid tape is used outer perimeter of said roll; and a strip ofunidirectionally up but preventing their withdrawal therefrom. flexiblematerial having a central portion adapted to be placed around saidcutter to hold it against said tape, and 5 References Clted m the fileof fins patent a pair of end portions adapted to be inserted into saidUNITED STATES PATENTS receptacle; said receptacle having a pair of slotsfor inser- 2,317,299 peters APL 2 19 3 tion of said strip ends, a pairof cylindrical chambers for 2 401 235 Wright May 23 1945 receiving saidstrip ends and guiding them into roll form 2,731,034 Bums Ja 17, 1956 asthey are inserted therein, and resilient fingers allowing 1 2,734,575Gilbreth et a1 Feb. 14, 1956

1. AN EXPENDABLE FLOATING TAPE CUTTING DEVICE FOR USE ON A HOLLOW ROLLOF TAPE, COMPRISING: A STRIP RECEPTACLE DIMENSIONED TO BE POSITIONEDAGAINST THE INNER PERIMETER OF SAID ROLL; A CUTTER ADAPTED TO BEPOSITIONED AGAINST THE OUTER PERIMETER OF SAID ROLL; AND A STRIP OFUNIDIRECTIONALLY FLEXIBLE MATERIAL ADAPTED TO HOLD SAID CUTTER AGAINSTSAID TAPE, SAID STRIP HAVING AN END PORTION ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED INTOSAID RECEPTACLE; SAID RECEPTACLE HAVING A CYLINDRICAL CHAMBER FORRECEIVING SAID STRIP END AND GUIDING IT INTO ROLL FORM AS IT IS INSERTEDTHEREIN, AND RESILIENT MEANS ALLOWING SAID STRIP END TO BE PUSHED INTOSAID CHAMBER TO KEEP SAID CUTTER TIGHT AGAINST SAID TAPE ROLL AS SAIDTAPE IS USED UP BUT PREVENTING ITS WITHDRAWAL THEREFROM.